Children who are aged about a year spank are more likely to behave aggressively in three years, and worse cope with the cognitive tests than the children at this age are not punished. To such conclusion scientists from Duke University, USA.

Scientists have discovered that spanking toddlers makes them aggressive to three years. Although the negative effect of spanking, is very modest, a new study adds evidence to the growing base of evidence that spanking is harmful for children. “Employee’s age is the age determine the quality of parental care and the establishment of relations between parent and child, says study author Lisa J. Smith. Berlin (Lisa J. Berlin), researcher of the center of the child and family at Duke University. – Spanking in about one year of age reflects the negative dynamics of these processes and increases the aggressiveness of children for two years.”

Berlin together with colleagues examined data on 2,500 white, Mexican American and African American children from poor families. The data included parents reports about their children’s behaviour, about how spanking children, as well as the report of the observers about visiting families, including observations of interaction between parents and children in one, two and three years. About one-third of mothers of one-year-olds said that they or other family members spanked child in the last week of the punishment of two-and three-year-olds said about half of the mothers. The average number slemani year-olds was at 2.6 per week, children two years – 3 times a week.

The results of the study showed that children who were spanked at age one behaved more aggressively to two years, and worse coped with the cognitive tests in three years. Spanking children under the age of two, however, did not lead to similar consequences, perhaps because when parents began to spank these children, they were more aggressive. The researchers also evaluated the effect of verbal punishment, defined as shouting, scolding and disapproving comments. It was found that verbal punishment had a negative effect if the rest of the mother was attentive, gentle and caring. It is unclear how spanking affects cognitive development. One possible explanation is that parents spanking their children, less inclined to argue their position when communicating with children that affects the development of the latter.